Baek Byung-yeul is a journalist at The Korea Times focused on cultural content, including films and cultural events in South Korea. You can contact him at baekby@koreatimes.co.kr to share your insights.
'Past Lives' star Greta Lee embraces new challenge in 'Tron: Ares'
Actor Greta Lee speaks during a press conference for her upcoming movie “Tron: Ares” at a theater in Seoul, Monday. Newsis
By Baek Byung-yeul
Korean American actor Greta Lee, who earned a Golden Globe nomination for her emotional performance in "Past Lives" (2023), is making the leap into blockbuster territory with her role in Disney’s upcoming sci-fi epic "Tron: Ares."
Lee described her role in the new film as dramatically different from her previous work, a new challenge she feels fortunate to take on.
"This movie and this character could not be more different than 'Past Lives,'" Lee told reporters during a press conference in Seoul Monday.
"I feel incredibly lucky that I have the privilege to play such a wide range of characters and different size movies. 'Tron' is arguably the biggest scale in terms of production value."
Directed by Joachim Ronning, "Tron: Ares" is the third installment in the iconic franchise, which started in 1982. The film follows a highly advanced program named Ares (Jared Leto), who is sent from the digital world into the real world, marking humanity's first encounter with an artificial intelligence being. Lee stars as Eve Kim, a key figure in this high-stakes crossover.
Actor Jared Leto as Ares in a scene from “Tron: Ares” / Courtesy of Walt Disney Company Korea
Though she plays a computer programmer, Lee’s role was physically demanding, requiring extensive stunt work.
"It felt really good after 'Past Lives' to do something that was so physical, since 'Past Lives' was so intimate and so quiet," she said.
"[In big-budget blockbusters like 'Tron: Ares'] every take you do, you have to run like your life depends on it. You can train like an Olympic athlete, but Olympic athletes arguably don't have to do 20 takes where they're running as fast as they can.”
As a Korean American actor leading a major Hollywood franchise, Lee acknowledged the significance of her casting but emphasized that this is just the start, embracing the pressure that comes with the responsibility.
"For me, I've been acting for a few decades now, and I've seen a tremendous amount of change within the industry in Hollywood. Things are different now," Lee said. "I take the pressure willingly."
Actor Greta Lee in a scene from “Tron: Ares” / Courtesy of Walt Disney Company Korea
When asked how she navigates between working on both independent and mainstream productions, Lee explained her acting approach remains rooted in character, not context.
"I really try to think about the humanity and the person," she said. "This goes beyond different categories like being Korean or being Korean American or being a woman. I'm thinking about being a person."
Lee also shared her joy in witnessing the global embrace of Korean culture, calling it “extremely validating” as both an artist and a person.
"It is a tremendous joy to see how beloved Korean culture, the music, fashion, art, cinema, all of it, how much has been embraced worldwide," she said.
“Tron: Ares” will hit theaters here on Oct. 8.